Using a Dialect in Dialogue

"Dialogue...dialect. What's the difference?" (I have actually had students who confuse these two words.) Believe me, there is a BIG difference! Let's take a look at the definitions:

      dialogue: conversations between/among characters

      dialect: a variety of a language

According to dictionary.com: dialect is a variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially.

When used properly a dialect can help build character, plus it reveals “who” might be talking.

Dialect can be drawn from an existing one, or the author can create a new one. In Janet Beasley’s Hidden Earth Series, Volume 1, Maycly the Trilogy, Book 1, Two Altered Worlds you'll find a brand new dialect. There are characters called "chukkons" on the world of Maycly who have their own way of talking. Though it is an unknown dialect, the author has left enough of the “real word” so readers can follow along easily and still get a feel for how a chukkon talks. You’ll notice that the narrative is in plain English while the dialogue carries the dialect.

Charleo laughed. “Here be yer taggerts, me friend. Ye shouldna be a-takin’ me so serious.” A few of the others in the Pipe Shoppe who knew Charleo could be heard giggling at that remark. “Now let’s see:  one, two, three, four, and five.”

“What be this? Ye dunna trust yer old pal Charleo? Countin’ in front of me. Shame, shame.”

“Sorry. Just force of habit there. No hard feelin’s?”

“None be taken. I was only a-pullin’ yer leg. Now I s’pose I’ll be a-needin’ some pipe stuffin’s ta smoke in this wonderful pipe.” Charleo ran his fingers over the pipe stuffing jars. “How about...umm ...this one. I’ll be a-havin’ me a laund of the ‘E’er So Sweet’.”

“Ooooo, tis one of me favorites.” Jobi inhaled deeply with every scoop until he had dished out a laund on the scale, and he added a pinch more.

“How much be I owin’ ye fer it?”

“Ah, nothin’.”

“I’ll be a-givin’ ye somethin’ fer it, ye crazy wee fella.”

“No arguin’ now. Yer first pipe stuffin's be on me.”

Charleo realized there was no budging Jobi. “I’ll be sure and make a point of showin’ yer fine piece of work ta everyone. And I be a-thankin’ ye from the bottom of me heart.” Charleo gave a nod and a wink to Jobi.

“And ye be welcome from the top of mine.”

The Colon (punctuation, not anatomy)

colon  : 

   "Is it really necessary?"   YES!
   "Can't I just use commas instead?"   NO!
   "When and where do I use it?"    The use of colons is really quite simple, and the distinctions they make in your writing will greatly improve your reader's understanding of the point you are trying to make. According to The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, "A colon introduces an element or a series of elements illustrating or amplifying what has preceded the colon." For instance, The "Fresh Catch of the Day" could be ordered in one of three ways: deep fried, pan fried, or broiled. 
   "The colon should generally convey the sense of 'as follows' or 'the following'." For instance, The order is as follows: your right foot goes forward, your left foot goes to the side, your left foot then slides close to the right, you crouch and clap your hands.
  The colon is used when introducing a sequence of sentences. For instance, Kamya faced a conundrum: She could continue her speech as if she intended to delete the entire section. She could try to fit it in at another point in her speech. She could apologize to her audience, saying she had failed to cover a very pertinent point and would like to talk about it even though it should have been covered earlier.   
   Regarding the spacing after a colon, in typeset matter there should not be more than one space following the colon. When used within a sentence, the first word following a colon should be lowercase (as in the first and second examples above). When a colon introduces two or more sentences (as in the third example above), the first word following it is capitalized.
   Colons have lots of other uses, as well, such as in subtitles, indexes, source citations, URLs, mathematical expressions, introducing a speech in dialogue or an extract, at the beginning of a speech or a formal communication where it follows the identification of those being addressed (e,g., Ladies and Gentlemen:  or To Whom It May Concern:  or Dear Marketing Management Associates:) or when it introduces a direct question. It is also used in plays when introducing a character's dialogue, such as Rachel: I already told you I don't want to go.
                            Nathan: But it'll be fun. You'll see. 
In addition, it can be used to introduce a quotation "either where the syntax of the introductions requires it or to more formally introduce the quotation," like Charles Dickens, author of A Tale of Two Cities, begins his book with a famous line that is often quoted: "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times."
   Of course, there are times when a colon should not be used. For example, if the series is the object of a verb, the objects are simply separated with commas (e.g., The organist played the prelude, the hymns, and the recessional. NOT The organist played: the prelude, the hymns, and the recessional.) And a colon should not be used after namely, for example, such as, or other similar expressions.
   Now that's not so hard. Don't let those two little vertical dots frighten you. Put them to good use.